Combination lock



July 8, 1941. sc u 7 2,248,310

COMBINATION LOCK FiledMay 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 1941. sc2,248,310

COMBINATION LOCK Filed May 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 8,1941 v UNETI STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCK Mathew Sohnur,Chicago, Ill. ApplicationMay 10, 1940, Serial No. 334,451

10 Claims.

My invention relates to combination locks, and

more particularly to the type of lock covered in my Patent No.2,118,478, dated May 24, 1938, and my main object is to improve themechanism of the patented structure in a manner to control the functionsof the look more easily, with greater precision, and with more secrecy.A further object of the improvement is to simplify portions in themechanism of the look, so that the latter'is less'expensive' to produceand may operate efficiently and without need of frequent attention orrepair.

Another-object of the invention is to provide means to more definitelyretain parts at given positions in their movements-so that such parts donot deviate or change such positions to the prejudice of the solution ofthe combination. 7

- With the above objects in view and any others which may suggestthemselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of theinvention may be had'by reference to the accompanying drawings, in-which-' Fig. 1 is an-elevation of the look as viewed from theinner-side of a safe-door in which it is installed;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are, respectively, sections on the lines 2-2, 3-3and'4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig.- 5 is a reproduction of a portion of Fig. 1, showing the positionsof the parts when the combination has been solved;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification; and a Fig. 9is a section on-the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring specifically to the drawings, it is noted that the presentcombination lock follows the example of my patent by being incorporatedin a safe door 20. However, the latter is now illustrated with aninsulation filling 2| and an inner panel 22 also filled with insulation23. This construction is in accord with conventional safe design,wherein insulation is employed for protection against fire. The door hasaninner base plate 24 for the combination lock.

The improved lock retains the flush control feature recited in mypatent, so that nothing projects from the door'of the safe while thelock is not. in use. However, the controls have now been verticallyalined near the hinge edge of the door, and have peculiar functions.Thus, the middle control is a button 25 initially employed to project'anupper knob 26 from the door so that it may be operated by partial turnsto solve'the combination, in which event the button 25 may be operatedto retract the bolt 21, so that the door may be swung ajar by a springor other suitable mechanism in the safe, as suggested in my patent. Thebottom button 28 is operated when the door is closed and the combinationis to be cleared, so as to lock the bolt 21. Of course, the button 28may also function to clear the combination where its solution fails onany trial, and is again to be attempted.

The basic feature of the improved lock is quite similar to the one in mpatent. Thus, the array of horizontal slidebars is again employed, theprimary one being indicated at 29 and the secondary ones at 30. Thus,the step-by-step operation of the primary slide bar controls theselection of any desired secondary slide bar for its step-by-stepadvance toward the alinement .of the slide bars in a given relation.

The slide bars are actuated by the knob 26. Whenthis knob has beenprojected to be easily grasped between the fingers, its partial rotationin one direction will operate to advance the primary slide bar 29, andin the opposite direction to operate the selected one of the secondaryslide bars 30. With the knob functioning in rotary directions, itsmovements can more easily be concealed than those of a push button, incase the combination is intended to be guarded from any one who may bepassing or watching. The shank 3| of the knob 26 carries a peripheralsegment 32 whose ends are in front of the inner hooked portions 33 of apair of levers 34 and 35. The lever 34 is pivoted to a stationarybracket 36 at 31, while the lever 35 is pivoted at 38 to a similarbracket 36a. A link 40 extends horizontally from a pivotal connection 4|at an intermediate point along the lever 34, while a similar link 42 isconnected likewiseto the lever 35 at 43. As in the patented structure,vertically alined spindles 44 and 45 are located near the opening edgeof the door, and the links 40 and 42 make free connections with therespective spindles by means of terminal eyes 46. The spindle 44 iscarried by the arms 41 of a vertical frame t8 which is rockably disposedat its base in end brackets 49. -The spindle 45 is similarly disposed inrelation to a frame so that both spindles are now movable laterally, andare drawn in a right-hand direction by springs 5! whose outer ends aresecured to stationary fixtures 52.-

Inorder to affect the segment 32, the projected knob 26 must engage thesame for rotation. This is done by a side lug 39 at the rear end of theknob shank, this lug seating in a similar slot 396; in the segment whentheknob is in the projected position. Now, when the knob is turned in acounter-clockwise direction according to Fig. 1, it will be seen thatthe lug 39 will strike the lower end of the segment 32, causing theupper end thereof to bear on the hooked portion 33 of the lever 34 toswing the latter to the left; and the lever 35 will be similarlyaffected when the knob is turned in the opposite direction. Thesemovements will have the effect of drawing upon the links 49 and 42 tomove the spindles 44 and 45 towardthe left. As in my patented structme,these spindles carry pawls 53 and 54 extending over the slide bars,these pawls being urged in the direction of the latter by springs 55attached to heel portions 56 of the pawls. The primary slide bar 29carries a cam plate 51 having the same function as the cam plate 50 inmy patentv to cause the secondary slide bars 36 to be selected by thepawl 53 in accordance with the movement of the primary slide bar 29, allprecisely as in the patent. However, I have covered the greater portionof the slide bars by a plate 58 in order that the pawls 53 and 54 mayonly have access to the slidebar teeth by way of a limited opening 59.Thus, the recession of either pawl will cause it to be lifted by theplate to be clear of the slide bar teeth. I have provided no check pawlsin the improved structure, preferring to dispose the slide bars betweenstationary separators 60 and outer guards 69a, so that the movementv ofone slide .bar will not have a tendency to draw on the adjoining ones.As noted in Figs. 2 and 3, the body portion of the knob 26 is knurledfor a se cure hold and reduced in diameter in order not to rub along thewalls of the socket 26a in which the knob is slidable. I As in mypatent, the solution of the combination places the slide bars with aseries of slots 36a in vertical registration. However, in the improvedstructure these slots are on the frontal sides of the slide bars andtherefore not visible in Fig; 1. A control bar 6| is urged toward thestack. of slide bars from the frontv and therefore falls into the alinedslots as soon as the combination is solved. The fall of the control bar6| in the manner suggested involvesa. mechanism originating with themiddle button 25. This button has its shank ,62 incontact with a finger63 extending from a carrier 64 which is pivoted at 65 in a door bracket66.5 The carrier journals a spindle 61 which becomes. rockable laterallyrelative to the pivots 65, and is normally drawn to the left as seen inFig. 1 by ,a spring 68 secured to a fixture 68a.. A cross-bar 69 extendsfrom a position shortly to the right of the spindle 61 to one at theextreme rightas seen in Fig. 1. Here the ,end of the bar is pivoted asindicated at 16 to the shank II of the latch bolt 21. Thus, when the bar69 moves to the right, the latch bolt is caused to recede by beingpivoted, intermediately in the lock case at 13.

The cross-bar 69 is normally urged rearwardly and also inwardly by apair of springs 74 extending from a stationary plate 15 to a cross pin16 passing through the bar. By being drawn inwardly the cross-bar pullson the control bar 6| through the medium of an arch passing from thelatter around the cross-bar, so that when the alinement of the slide barslots occurs, these afford clearance to the control bar 6|, so that thelatter may be drawn into the series of slots by the cross-bar 69 as justexplained. However, this action will not occur until the button 25 hasbeen given a partial push, so that the spindle .6! may push a detent 61atoward the right as per Fig. 6. This detent has a head 6'") cut with ashoulder 670 in its bottom, such shoulder normally resting on a cornerof the control bar when the latter is in the outward or free position,an arch 61d maintaining the position of the detent on the bar. However,when the button 25 is pushed to advance the cross-bar 69, it iscalculated to first push the detent 61a as stated, so that its shoulder61c moves oif the control bar, releasing the same for the inwardmovement, the parts now appearing as in Fig. 6. The control bar issecured to the door by a loose rivet 18 to permit its limited outwardand inward motions.

The position of the cross-bar 69 affects its relation to the push button25. Thus, the end of the cross-bar proximate to this push buttonreceives a U-strap 19 whose sides are vertically spaced. This strapslidably houses in its bottom a hook 88 which is pivoted at itsleft-hand end as seen in Fig. 1 to a vertical stud 89 carried by thelower portion of a lever 90, the middle portion of such lever beingpivoted at 9| to a fixture 92. The upper portion of the lever 90 isrounded toward the rear, so as to be tripped by the side lug l9 of theknob shank 3| when the knob is backed to the position shown in Figs. 2and 3. The upper portion ofthe lever 90 is drawn toward the positionalongside the knob shank by a spring leading to the lower portion of thelever. The knob shank meets a frame 94 as a back stop and is tubular tohouse a compression spring 96 whose tendency is to urge the knoboutwardly. This is done by simply pressing the middle button 25. Withthe parts located as in Fig. 2, it is seen that the effect of pushingthis button is to move the spindle6'l toward the right, as explainedbefore. The spindle will now impinge on the bill 88a of the hook88-since the latter-has beencarried outwardly by the locked position ofthe cross-bar 69so that the lever 96 is swung counter-clockwise on its.pivot 9|. The upper end of the lever will now back away from the lug39, releasing the knob shank 3| for outward projection by the spring 96.The action of the button 25 just described does not affect the cross-bar69, and the pushing of the button cannot therefore retract the latchbolt 21 as long as the combination is unsolved. However, when thesolution is'attained, the control bar 6| finds inward clearance in thealined slots 30a in response to the urge'of the cross-bar from the pullof the springs 14. The cross-bar thus swings inwardly on its pivot 10'toback'the hook bill 88a away from the spindle 61 and present thecorresponding end of the cross-bar to the same. Now the advance of thespindle by'the push of button 25 pushes the cross-bar to the right andretracts the latch bolt 21. When the button is released, the spring 68serves to restore the same to its normal, flushposition, while thesprings 14 pull on the cross-bar 69 to restore the latch bolt 2lto. theprojected position. The lock may now be considered as open, and shouldthe door 2| be closed, it maybe opened by simply pushing the button 25to withdraw the'latch bolt, a suitable device such as shown at 23a in mypatent then servingto push the door ajar.

Should it be desired to'lock the door, the bottombutton 28 is pushed,theshank 8| of the same serving to push aspindle 82 mounted precisely asthespindle 6| toward the right, as seen in Fig. 1. .A link 83 from thespindle 82 swings a push bar to the position indicated by dotted lines;As the slide bars 29 and 30 are directly in push bar 84,- the effect ofthe them' all back to the original position shown in Fig. 1. However,this cannot be done until the control bar 6| moves outwardly to emergefrom the alined slots of the slide bars. Therefore, the push bar 04 actsbefore it meets the slide bars to propel a cam bar 85 pivoted to thepush bar at 86 to press outwardly on the control bar til, the cambarbeing retained in its movement by a strap 01. j I

With thestructural and functional characteristics of the mechanismexplained, reference may be made to an early section in the abovedescription where the operationof the lock is briefly described. Asstated, the medial button 25 is thefirst one to beused when thecombination is to be worked, the pushing of this button procuring theprojection-of the knob 25. The knob is next turned in-oheor the otherdirection as many times as the combination calls f or,'sim ilarly to thealternative button control in my patent. When the end of the combinationis reached, the pushing of the button 25 should release the bolt 21, sothat the door maybe open'ed. When the door is again closed and is to belocked, all that it is necessary to do is to push the lower button 28with the effect of clearing the combination and locating the bolt in amanner not to be affected by the pushing of the button 25. Also, in caseduring the working of the combination that an error is made or the lockfails to open, the button 28 may be employed to\clear the combinationand-make it possible to be worked again.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modification whereby the lock may be operated byremote control. Thus, it may be desirable that a safe in a generaloffice or establishment be controlled only by the executive, whose roommay be in a different or remote part of the building. In such event, theknob 26 and its accessory parts may be dispensed with for the purpose ofoperating the bars 40 and 42 alternately. In the modified structure thecounterparts of these bars are indicated at I and IN, and the alternateactuation of these in a left-hand direction for the operation of theslide bar group is induced by two push buttons (not shown) locatedhandily in the room of the executive. By a suitable electrical circuit,the push buttons control solenoids I02 and I03 whose armatures areindicated at I04 and I00. The armature plungers I06 and I0! are directedtoward levers H38 and I09 which are pivoted at H0 and III respectively.The lever I09 is connected directly to the spindle 45 by the bar IIII.The connection for the lever I08, however, on account of the properapproach to the spindle 44, reaches the latter by way of a lever H2connected to the bar I00, such lever being pivoted to the door base 24at H3. A link II4 then extends from the lever I I2 to the spindle 44.

The modification of Figs. 8 and 9 also shows means for actuating thespindles 44 and 45 from points in front of the door in case theelectrical control fails. The means recited consist of push buttons Hand H6 which operate the spindles precisely as do the buttons A and B inmy patent, making a detailed description of the mechanism unnecessary.

It will be evident from the above description that the improved lock isnot only simpler in many respects than the patented one, but alsoseparates certain functional values by the provision of the control knoband the push buttons below the same. First, no buttons or controls arethe path of the latter is to push necessary at both sides of the door.Second, the button 25 while serving mainly for advancing the cross-bar69, also acts as a mechanism to pro- J'e'ct the combination knob 26. Thelatter has the single function of operating the combination; yet, itserves more handily for this purpose than a-push button, and enables thecombination to be kept secret, as mentioned before. The mechanism of thebutton 28 is ostensibly for combination clearing purposes, although italso provides a safeguardto clear the path for the return of the slidebars by assuring the outward clearance ofthe control bar BI before theslide bars are actuated. Finally, the flush surface of the door ismaintained despite the presence of the knob 26, as the latter may bepushed in and locked at any time thatthe work withthe combination isover; I a a Iclaim: W

1. Control means for a combination lock carried on the inner-side of adoor comprising, a control bar pivoted to the door and movable inwardlywhen the combination solved, a bolt alongsidethe control bar and movablebetween outward and inward positions, an element controlling thesepositions to correspond with those of the control ban-a push buttonfitted in the door, anda member movable in the direction of thebolt'when the button is pushed, the bolt being engageable by the memberonly when in the said inward position. V

2. Control means for a combination lock carried on the rear side of asupport comprising a knob and a push button set'iiushly at spaced pointsin the front of the support, means actuated when the button ispushed toproject the knob from the front ofthe support for manual rotation, andconnections from the knob to the lock to operate the combination, saidmeans comprising a side projection at the rear end of the knob, apivoted lever in front of the projection when the knob is in its rearposition, a member movable laterally when the button is pushed, a hookcarried by said lever to be engageable by said member with the effect ofswinging the lever to withdraw it from its position in front of saidprojection, and a spring to project the knob forwardly when theprojection is released.

3. Control means for a combination lock carried on the rear side of asupport comp-rising a knob and a push button set flushly at spacedpoints in the front of the support, means actuated when the button ispushed to project the knob from the front of the support for manualrotation, and connections from the knob to the lock to operate thecombination, said means comprising a side projection at the rear end ofthe knob, a pivoted lever in front of the projection when the knob is inits rear position, a member movable laterally when the button is pushed,a spring drawing said member in the opposite direction to resist thepushing of the button, a hook carried by said lever to be engageable bysaid member with the effect of swinging the lever to withdraw it fromits position in front of said projection, and a spring to project theknob forwardly when the projection is released.

4. Control means for a combination lock involving vertically-spaced armsalternately movable in a given direction to operate the combinationcomprising, a rotatable knob intermediate the arms, a segment carried bythe knob and adapted to be rotated with the same and upper and lowerlevers opposite the end portions of the segment and adapted to be singlymoved by such end portions in accordance with the direction in which theknob is rotated in harmony with the contemplated movements of said arms,said arms being connected to the respective levers.

5. The structure of claim 4, the segment being freely mounted on theknob, means to advance the knob to the projected position, and othermeans to connect the knob with the segment for joint rotation when theknob assumes the projected position.

6. Control means for a combination lo'ck'having a series of superimposedslide :bars carried on the inner side of a door comprising a control barpivoted to the door and outwardly positioned as long as the combinationis not solved, means to move the control bar inwardly when thecombination has been solved, second means to clear the combination, andthird means operative before the second means is effective to return thecontrol bar to the outward position.

7. Control means for a combination lock carried on the inner side of adoor and having a series of superimposed slide bars with slots on theiroutward sides which register when the slide bars have been variouslyadvanced to solve the combination, comprising a control :bar pivoted tothe door and positioned outwardly of the slide bars as long as thecombination is not solved, means to move the control bar inwardly, toseat in the alined slots of the slide bars when the combination has beensolved, second means to clear the combination by moving the slide barsback to their original positions, and third means operative before thesecond means is eifective to eject the control bar from said slots,whereby to enable the slide bars to clear the control bar on theirreturn movements.

8. The structure of claim 6, said third means comprising a pushermovable in the direction of the slide bars, an arm directed from thepusher to a position behind the control bar, such arm having its freeend chamfered to climb the control bar on the advance of the pusher, anda retainer for the arm to constitute the free end of the same as a camto push the control bar outwardly on the advance of the pusher.

9. The structure of claim 1, a rotatable combination-control knob havingan inward position flush with the front of the door when inactive, alever normally locking the knob in the inward position, a hook connectedto the lever and in the path of said member when the bolt is in theoutward position, the effect of the members movement being to push thehook and draw the lever to unlock the knob, and means automaticallyadvancing the knob to forward position when so unlocked to project fromthe front of the door for manipulation.

10. The structure of claim 1, a rotatablecom- :bination-control havingan inward position flush with the front of the door when inactive, alever normally locking the knob in the inward position, a hookvertically-pivoted to the lever, a strap holding the hook to the boltand effective to swing the hook to be in the path of said member whenthe bolt moves from the inward to the outward position, the efiect ofthe members movement being to push the hook and draw the lever to unlockthe knob, and means automatically advancing the knob to forward positionwhen so unlocked to project from the front of the door for manipulation.

MATHEW SCHN'UR.

